10 police officers in Indian state of Gujurat have been accused by the country's Crime Investigation Department (CID) of kidnapping, attempted extortion and corruption, The Times of India reports.
They allegedly abducted a businessman and forced him to hand over 200 bitcoins.
The accused include nine constables and a local town's police inspector, named as Anant Patel.
According to the investigators, they kidnapped two local residents Shailesh Bhatt, Kirit Paladiya and a driver referred to as Mahipal. Then they took them to a farmhouse, beating them and forcing them to transfer the bitcoins.
The amount involved is equal to roughly $1.3 million at current prices.
However the initial probe could not verify that the 200 bitcoins were actually transferred from Bhatt to Patel, and police would examine both citizens' wallets for proof.
By Jade Olafson